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Viking territory on the map. Ancient world

Vikings

The Scandinavian peoples made their presence known on the European stage between 800 and 1050 of our century. Their unexpected military raids sowed fear in prosperous countries that, in general, were accustomed to wars. Contacts between the Nordic countries and the rest of Europe go back a long way, as archaeological excavations prove. Trade and cultural exchange began many millennia BC. However, Scandinavia remained a remote corner of Europe with little political or economic importance.

 Arne Emil Christensen

Just before 800 AD the picture changed. In 793, foreigners arriving from the sea sacked Lindisfarne Monastery on the east coast of England. At the same time, the first reports of raids in other parts of Europe arrived. In the historical annals of the next 200 years we will find many frightening descriptions. Large and small groups of robbers on ships appear along the entire coast of Europe. They move up the rivers of France and Spain, conquer almost all of Ireland and most of England, and set up their settlements along Russian rivers and off the coast of the Baltic Sea. There are reports of predatory raids in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as far to the east, near the Caspian Sea. The northerners who settled in Kyiv were so reckless that they even tried to attack the capital of the Roman Empire, Constantinople.

Gradually, the raids were replaced by colonization. The names of the settlements prove the presence of a large proportion of Viking descendants in the population of Northern England, centered in York. In the south of England we will find an area called Danelagen, which can be translated as “the place where Danish laws apply.” The French king transferred Normandy to fief ownership of one of the Viking leaders in order to protect the country from attacks by others. A mixed Celtic-Scandinavian population developed on the islands north of Scotland. A similar situation was observed in Iceland and Greenland.

Unsuccessful attempt to gain a foothold in North America became the last in a series of campaigns to the west. Around 1000 AD, there is information that the Vikings of Iceland or Greenland discovered new land far to the west. The sagas tell of numerous campaigns to settle in that land. The colonialists met resistance from either the Indians or the Eskimos and abandoned these attempts.

Depending on the interpretation of the saga texts, the area of ​​the supposed Viking landing in America could stretch from Labrador to Manhattan. Researchers Anne-Stine and Helge Ingstad found traces of an ancient settlement in the north of the island of Newfoundland. Excavations revealed that the structures were similar to those found in Iceland and Greenland. Viking household items dating back to around the year 1000 were also found. It is difficult to say whether these finds are traces of the campaigns that the sagas tell about, or other events about which history is silent. One thing is clear. The Scandinavians visited the North American continent around the year 1000, as is narrated in the sagas.

Population growth and lack of resources

What caused this unprecedented expansion in just a few generations? Stable state formations in France and England clearly could not resist the raids. The picture of that era that we draw on the basis of written sources confirms what has been said, because Vikings are described as terrible robbers and bandits. Clearly they were. But they probably also had other properties. Their leaders were most likely talented organizers. Effective military tactics ensured the Vikings' victory on the battlefield, but they were also able to create stable state structures in the conquered areas. Some of these entities did not last long (such as the kingdoms of Dublin and York), others, such as Iceland, are still viable. The Viking Kingdom in Kyiv was the basis of Russian statehood, and traces of the organizational talent of the Viking leaders can still be seen to this day on the Isle of Man and Normandy. In Denmark, the ruins of a fortress from the end of the Viking Age, designed for a large number of troops, have been found. The fortress looks like a ring, divided into four sectors, each of which housed residential buildings. The layout of the fortress is so precise that this confirms the leaders' penchant for systematics and order, as well as the fact that among the Vikings there were experts in geometry and surveyors.

In addition to information sources from Western Europe, Vikings are mentioned in written documents from Arab world and Byzantium. In the homeland of the Vikings we find short writings on stone and wood. The sagas of the 12th century tell a lot about Viking times, despite the fact that they were written several generations after the events they narrate.

The homeland of the Vikings was the territories that now belong to Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The society from which they came was a peasant society, where agriculture and animal husbandry were supplemented by hunting, fishing and the manufacture of primitive utensils from metal and stone. Although the peasants could provide themselves with almost everything they needed, they were forced to buy some products like, for example, salt, which was needed by both people and livestock. Salt, an everyday product, was purchased from neighbors, and “delicacies” and specialty goods were supplied from the south of Europe.

Metal and stoneware were imported goods that led to the flourishing of trade during Viking times. Even during the periods when Viking raids were most frequent, there was trade between the Scandinavians and Western Europe. One of the few descriptions of the situation in Norway at that time is found in a letter from the North Norwegian leader Ottar. He visited King Alfred of Wessex as a peace trader at a time when the king was at war with other Viking chieftains.

There is a theory that the lack of vital resources amid population growth was the reason for the expansion of the Vikings. Archaeological materials indicate the organization of new settlements in previously deserted places, with a simultaneous increase in interest in foreign resources. This confirms the theory of population growth. Another explanation could be metal mining and processing. A lot of metal means a lot of weapons and a definite advantage for those who go on a military campaign.

Viking ships - their military advantage

Shipbuilding in the Nordic countries appears to be another factor that gave the Vikings an advantage in warfare. One famous Swedish archaeologist wrote that the Viking ships were the only sea-going craft of their kind ever used by an invading force.

Despite the certain categorical nature of this statement, it largely explains the secret of the Vikings’ military successes. This thesis is confirmed by many historical documents describing Viking raids. The surprise factor played important role. The tactics consisted of a swift attack from the sea, on light ships that did not need berthing facilities and who could approach the shore where they were least expected, and retreat just as quickly before the enemy had time to come to his senses.

Much suggests that there was a division of spheres of influence between the Norwegian, Danish and Swedish Vikings, despite joint participation in major campaigns led by influential leaders. The Swedes mainly moved east, where they established control over the river arteries deep into Russia and, thus, over the eastern trade routes. The Danes moved south to what is now Germany, France and Southern England, while the Norwegians moved west and northwest to Northern England, Scotland, Ireland and the Atlantic islands.

The ships served not only for battles and trade, but were also vehicles during the process of colonization. Whole families, having collected all their belongings, loaded onto ships and set off to settle in new lands. The Vikings' voyages across the North Atlantic to Iceland and Greenland prove that they knew how to build not only fast ships for combat in the North Sea, but also ships with very good seaworthiness. The process of colonization began after seafarers discovered new lands, and after receiving information about new places from traders and warriors returning from campaigns.

There are indications that the indigenous population was expelled in many cases. In some areas, such as northern England, the Vikings preferred pastoralism and used a different landscape than the local population, which had previously cultivated grains.

Those who reached Iceland and Greenland were greeted by unspoiled nature. In Iceland, it was probably possible to meet a few Irish monks who had left the world of “atheists,” but Greenland was practically deserted before the arrival of the Vikings.

Historical documents telling about the Vikings were mainly written in Western Europe people who had a negative attitude towards them. Therefore, you can be sure that only the negative sides of the Scandinavians are presented there. The picture is significantly complemented by archaeological finds, both in the homeland of the Vikings and in the areas of their campaigns. On the sites of former settlements, traces of outbuildings and bazaars were found, where things that were lost or broken and abandoned at that time tell about the very simple life of the Vikings. Remains of iron mining tools were discovered in mountainous areas, where the presence of swamp ore and forest created good foundation for the development of crafts. Quarries have also been found where people collected soapstone to make frying pans or a very good whetstone. If you are very lucky, you can find old arable land in areas that were not used at a later time. There you can see heaps of stones, carefully removed from the field, and during careful excavations, even furrows from the plow of a Viking farmer come to light.

Cities and states

During the Viking era there were noticeable changes in society. Powerful families appropriated more and more land and power, which created the basis for the emergence of state formations and the first cities. We have the opportunity to trace city life from Staraya Ladoga and Kyiv to York and Dublin on the British Isles. Life in the cities was based on trade and crafts. Despite the fact that the Viking city dwellers had plenty of livestock, agricultural and fishing products, the cities were dependent on supplies from the villages in the area. Near the southern Norwegian city of Larvik, the ancient trading square of Kaupang was found, which is mentioned in a letter from the Viking leader Ottar to King Alfred. Kaupang remained a bazaar, but the town of Birka near the city of Mälaren in Sweden and Hegeby, near the Danish-German border, can be called cities. Both of these cities were abandoned by the end of the Viking Age, while Ribe, in the Danish province of West Jylland, still exists today, as do York and Dublin. In cities we see signs of planning with clear boundaries land plots, roads and defensive structures on the outskirts. It is clear that some cities were deliberately planned. Many were probably founded by royal command, with those close to the court involved in the planning and division of the land.

It is noticeable that the sewage system and waste collection were not as well planned as the division of the territory. The sewage lies in such a thick layer that we can imagine how much dirt and stench there was in the cities. Here you can find everything from artisan waste to fleas and get a picture of the life of the townspeople. Sometimes there are objects that came to these parts from afar, such as Arabic silver coins and remnants of silk fabric from Byzantium, as well as products of local craftsmen - blacksmiths, shoemakers, comb makers.

Viking religion

Christianity was recognized in the Nordic countries towards the end of Viking times. It replaced paganism, where many gods and goddesses patronized their own sphere of human existence. The God of Gods was old and wise - Odin. Tur was the god of war, and Frey was the god of agriculture and cattle breeding. God Loke was famous for his sorcery, but he was frivolous and did not enjoy the trust of other gods. The blood enemies of the gods were giants, personifying the forces of darkness and evil.

The existing descriptions of pagan gods were created already during Christianity and in many ways bear the stamp of the new faith. Place names such as Turshov, Freyshov and Unsaker retained the names of pagan gods. The ending “khov” in the name of the place means that there used to be a pagan temple there. The gods have human characteristics, like the Greek gods on Olympus, and live a hectic life. They fight, eat and drink. Warriors who died in battle went straight to the abundant table of the gods. Burial customs clearly show that the dead needed the same utensils as during life on earth. In Viking times, the dead were either cremated or buried as is, but the funeral ritual was the same. The number of utensils in the grave indicated some differences in rituals and the social status of the deceased. Norway was famous for the most magnificent funerals. This makes ancient graves an invaluable source of knowledge about the daily life of the Vikings. All the household items that followed the deceased to be used in the afterlife give us insight into the world of the Vikings, although often all we can find is the time-worn remains of what was placed in the grave. Grave finds complement the archaeological material from the settlement site. There you can find lost and broken things, ruins of houses, food remains and waste from artisans, and in the graves - the best things a person had during his life. Based on the texts of the laws, it can be assumed that what we today call the means of production (land, livestock) remained with family members, and personal items went to the grave with the deceased.

Society of Violence

The violence that reigned in that society is evidenced by the fact that almost all men were buried with weapons. A well-equipped warrior must have a sword, wooden shield with a metal plate in the center to protect the hand, a spear, an ax and a bow with up to 24 arrows. The helmet and chain mail in which the Vikings are depicted by modern artists are, in fact, very rarely found during excavations. Helmets with horns, which are an indispensable attribute of Vikings in paintings, have never actually been found among real Viking things.

But even in the graves of warriors, with military equipment, we find peaceful objects - sickles, scythes and hoes. The blacksmith is buried with his hammer, anvil, tongs and file. Near the coastal villager we can see fishing gear. Fishermen were often buried in their boats. In the graves of women one can find their personal jewelry, kitchen utensils and tools for making yarn. Women were also often buried in boats. Wooden, textile and leather items are rarely preserved to this day, which leaves many unclear questions in the study of that time. Only in a few graves does the earth retain a little more than usual. Off the coast of the Oslo Fjord, just under the peat layer, there is a clay layer that prevents the penetration of water and air. Some graves would have been preserved, as it were, for many thousands of years and, thereby, preserved all the objects in them. In this regard, the burial sites of Useberg, Tune and Gokstad should be mentioned, the treasures of which are exhibited in the Viking Ship Museum on the island of Bygdøy in Oslo.

These are examples of how favorable soil conditions make it possible to preserve traces of antiquity. We don't know who those buried there were, but judging by the pomp of the burials, they most likely belonged to the top of society. Perhaps they were related to the royal dynasty that, several generations later, united Norway into a single state.

Recently, by counting annual rings on wooden objects, it was possible to establish the age of the burials of Useberg, Tune and Gokstad. The ship from the Useberg burial was built in 815-820 AD, and the burial itself took place in 834. The ships from the burials of Tune and Gokstad date back to approximately 890, and were buried immediately after 900. In these three graves, ships were used as coffins. Only the bottom of the ship from the Tyune burial was preserved, but the grave itself was plundered. However, it is clear that this ship was of the same excellent quality as the other two. The ships from the burials of Tune, Useberg and Gokstad had a length of 20, 22 and 24 meters, respectively.

During the burial process, the ship was pulled ashore and lowered into a deep hole. A wooden crypt was built at the mast, into which the dead were placed in their best clothes. Then the ship was filled with the necessary utensils and sacrificed horses and dogs. A high burial mound was built above all this. An Arab traveling through Russia in the 800s met funeral procession Vikings burying their leader. Ibn Fadlan described what he saw, and this document has survived to this day. The chief's ship was pulled ashore, and many valuables were loaded into it. The deceased was dressed in his best clothes and placed on a couch in the ship. One of the slaves, who wished to go into another world with her master, his horse and hunting dog were sacrificed. Then the ship with all its contents was burned, and a mound was erected over the ashes. In Scandinavia and Western Europe, many burials with burned ships were found, but the largest ones in the Oslo Fjord area were untouched. The remains of a man were found in the ship from the Gokstad burial, which can also be said about the ship from Tune. But two women were buried in the ship from Useberg. Based on the skeletons, it was possible to determine that one of them was 50-60 years old, and the other 20-30. We will never know who was the main person and who was the companion.

The burials of Useberg and Gokstad were looted, and jewelry and the best weapons disappeared without a trace. Products made of wood, leather and textiles were not of interest to the robbers and therefore have been preserved to this day. Traces of similar burials are found in other places. Much confirms the correctness of the assumption about the existence of the custom of putting sacrificed dogs and horses, weapons, ship equipment (oars, ladders, scoops, food cauldrons, tents and often overseas bronze vats) into the grave. The vats probably originally contained food and drink for the deceased.

The Useberg burial has no traces of weapons, which is typical for the graves of women, but otherwise, there was an ordinary set of things there. In addition to this, the deceased had near her objects confirming her status as the head of a large farm. It can be assumed that women were responsible for running the household while the men were away on campaign. The woman from Ouseberg, like many of her fellow tribesmen, was probably mature and dear lady regardless of the type of occupation - be it making yarn with other women, leading field work or milking cows, making cheese and butter. In addition to the ship, her grave contained a cart and a sleigh. The path to the kingdom of the dead could take place either by water or by land, and the deceased had to have all the necessary equipment. Horses were sacrificed in sufficient numbers to harness both the sleigh and the cart. In addition, a tent and pots, tailor's accessories, chests and caskets, a trough, milk vessels and ladles, a knife and frying pan, shovels and hoes, a saddle, a dog harness and much more were found in the grave. The supply of provisions for the road to the kingdom of the dead consisted of a couple of slaughtered bulls, a whole trough of dough for baking bread, and for dessert there was a bucket of wild apples.

Many wooden items are decorated with carvings. It can be seen that many people on the farm were engaged in artistic crafts. Even the simplest everyday things - such as sleigh shafts - are strewn with carved ornaments. If you do not take into account the Useberg finds, the Vikings were mainly famous for their small-format metal jewelry. Wood carving contains similar motifs, where figures of fairy-tale animals predominate, intertwined into a dense, chaotic pattern. The carving technique is excellent and suggests that the people of the Useberg queen were as skilled with cutters as they were with weapons.

The man buried at Gokstad also had an excellent woodcarver, although his grave did not contain as many carvings as the one at Oseberg. The ship from Useberg had low sides and was not as seaworthy as the ships from Gokstad and Tune. However, the ship would be quite capable of sailing across the North Sea. This design is typical of Viking ships from the 800s. The copy ship built in our time was fast, but it was difficult to control. The ships from Oseberg, Gokstad and Tune were most likely used as private ships for the sea voyages of the nobility, rather than for transporting warriors. The Gokstad ship has better seaworthiness than the ship from Useberg. This was confirmed by its copies that sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, both under sail and with 32 oarsmen. Even when fully loaded, the ship dives only 1 meter, which makes it possible to quickly land troops on enemy shores. It is likely that intensive seafaring in the 800s gave the Vikings experience, which they later applied in the construction of ships with more advanced hull shapes. If such assumptions are correct, then the difference between the ships from Ouseberg and Gokstad is the result of the accumulated experience of three generations of sailing in the North Sea, as well as long discussions between shipbuilders who wanted to create something new.

1000 years of development

The shipbuilding technique used by the Vikings is called clinker. The ships built were the result of more than 1,000 years of shipbuilding development in Scandinavia. The goal of boatbuilders has always been to create lightweight and flexible structures that adapt to wind and waves, and work with them rather than fighting against them. The hull of Viking ships was built on a powerful keel, which, together with a gracefully curved stem, formed the basis of the structure. Plank after plank was fitted to the keel and stem and overlapped with metal rivets. This design gave the body elegance and strength. After the corps accepted the required form, frames were installed in it. Additional flexibility of the design was given by the fact that the frames and side plating were interconnected. Cross beams at the waterline increased resistance to lateral loads, and thick timbers supported the mast. The ships sailed under a square sail raised on a mast in the middle of the hull. During calm or light winds, ships rowed.

By the end of the Viking Age, the construction of purely military ships, which were distinguished by speed and increased capacity, as well as purely commercial ones, where speed of movement was not as important as carrying capacity, began to develop. Merchant ships had a small crew and were mainly designed for sailing.

The coming of Christianity

Around the year 1000, Christianity came to the land of the Vikings. The change of religion was undoubtedly one of the reasons for the cessation of robber raids. Denmark, Sweden and Norway became independent kingdoms. Life was not always peaceful even in the Christian kingdoms, but disputes were settled by rapidly changing alliances of kings. Often countries were on the brink of war, but the conflict between rulers ceased, and the need to cross arms disappeared. Trade ties established back in Viking times continued, but in a situation where the northern countries became part of Christian Europe.

The author of the article, Arne Emil Christensen, is a Doctor of Philosophy, professor at the Archaeological Museum of the University of Oslo. He is an expert on the history of shipbuilding and crafts in the Iron Age and the Viking Age.

What do Vikings look like? They are usually represented as tall men with long hair and a warlike look, wearing helmets and simple clothes. But who the Vikings were and where they lived, few people have any idea.

The emergence of the Vikings

The harsh conditions of existence of the Scandinavian Peninsula gave rise to transformation social sphere, when those who owned the land were able to displace those who had neither the right nor the opportunity to cultivate the land. The division between rich and poor raised the question of the possibility of an alternative economic model. Reality denied productive economic activity in this model. And this prompted poor peasants to look for new lands. This is how the Vikings appeared.

The Viking Age in Western Europe began in the late 700s with an attack on the Scottish monastery of Lindisfarm. From that moment on, the expansion of the inhabitants of the Scandinavian Peninsula began. State entities This land area was indirectly divided into zones of influence:

  • Sweden updated the territories of the Baltic states and northwestern Rus';
  • Norway, due to geographical predestination, covered the British Isles;
  • Denmark, being closer to European political reality, has brought almost all Western European geopolitical processes under its control.

Now it becomes more clear who the Vikings are; they can be defined as follows: these are ordinary inhabitants of Scandinavia who were forced to leave their homeland and make sea voyages, looking for a suitable place for themselves.

An interesting opinion of historians is that the Vikings’ travels were so far that it was they who discovered America.

Vikings, Varangians and myths

Many are inclined to believe that Vikings and Varangians are one and the same. But this question cannot be answered unambiguously, due to the fact that different sources convey completely different information to modern times.

Some of them say that the Varangians are Slavic robbers (invaders). Others adhere to the fact that the Vikings were called that in Rus' and, therefore, they are one and the same. Which point of view to adhere to, everyone decides for himself, because both give general idea about who the Vikings and Varangians are.

There have always been many myths and misconceptions around them. For example, the fact that they were very unkempt and dirty. However, this is not the case; research and archaeological finds indicate that appearance for these formidable invaders had great value and they paid him considerable attention.

There is also a common misconception that the Vikings wore a helmet with horns. They actually had a helmet, of course. But the horns are a detail that European Christians “added” to emphasize their barbaric origins.

Famous Vikings

One of the most famous Viking leaders was Ragnar Leatherpants, also known as Ragnar Lothbrok. His achievements include, first of all, the flawless ascent of the Viking fleet along the Seine River and the two-year siege of Paris.

The fate of Harald the Severe is also curious, who, after the death of the elder brother of the Norwegian king Olaf II, was forced to leave the country and fled to Rus'. Having become one of the most influential commanders and finding himself at the center of dynastic intrigues, Harald the Severe began to be suspected of treason and returned to one of his sovereign patrons. After which, having received the support of Yaroslav the Wise, Harald the Severe became king of Norway.

There were also many invaders, sailors and travelers who were accustomed to being called Vikings. The study of their biographies leaves many mysteries and secrets, some of which can be revealed by turning to traditional Scandinavian legends - sagas.

Greetings to history buffs and inquisitive readers! Vikings: who are they and where are they from? The article briefly talks about the Vikings, early medieval Scandinavian sailors, in the 8th-11th centuries. made sea voyages.

These were tribes in the stage of decomposition of the tribal system, living on the territory of modern Sweden, Denmark and Norway, who were pushed beyond the borders of their native countries by overpopulation and hunger. In the chronicles of Kievan Rus they were known as Varangians.

Where did the Vikings come from?

In the summer of 789, one incident occurred in one of the coastal settlements of the kingdom of Wessex. Three boats moored to the shore, from which came tall men with blond hair and beards. They were met by Thane Beohtrik with a small squad.

After a short conversation, a quarrel broke out. The strangers killed the thane and his people, took their weapons and sailed away to an unknown destination. If medieval chroniclers had noted every internecine conflict between the Anglo-Saxons of that time, there would not have been enough books. But this episode ended up in the chronicles precisely because it was the beginning new era.

The Anglo-Saxons and their closest neighbors the Irish, Scots and Welsh have been Christians for more than two centuries. And the inhabitants of the continent, the Franks, Bretons, and Germans, professed the faith of Christ even longer.

The bearded strangers who came were pagans. This circumstance attracted the attention of the medieval chronicler, who described, in fact, the first meeting with the Vikings - a force that over the next three centuries changed the borders, culture and even the demographic situation in Europe.

Scandinavia in the early Middle Ages

The settlement of the Scandinavian Islands occurred long before the advent of our era. The first settlements are dated by archaeologists to the Mesolithic era. But the isolation and inaccessibility of the Scandinavian Peninsula contributed to the fact that the population of this harsh region remained far from events in Europe.

The Great Migration of Peoples only remotely touched Scandinavia. The fall of the Roman Empire and the subsequent formation of states with their constant wars, the spread of Christianity - all this did not affect the harsh country of the fjords.

The inhabitants of these places had their own culture and religion. They solved their problems and would not have sailed anywhere if force majeure did not force them to leave their homes.

The reason that forced the Vikings to seek their fortune overseas was climate change. Around the 6th century, the average temperature in Europe dropped sharply by several degrees. The lands, especially in the north, became unsuitable for agriculture and could not feed all the people.

Even in the northern regions of what is now France, many fields were abandoned. What can we say about snow-covered Norway, where mountains predominate. And only narrow valleys along the banks of rivers are suitable for farming.

It was the lack of food that forced many of the younger sons in the family, who could not inherit, poor landless peasants and simply adventurers, to go overseas.

Drakars

The military successes of the Vikings were facilitated by their unusual ships - drakars. These combat boats could accommodate about 20 oarsmen, had a shallow draft, and could row and sail both on the sea and along river beds, even the smallest ones.

The first boat, the Hjortspring Boat, which became the prototype of the Drakarov, dates back to the 4th century. It was discovered in Denmark.

The Vikings were excellent sailors. Knowing the coastline well and having the opportunity to enter rivers, these fearless warriors always attacked suddenly, quickly and in the most unexpected places and always left before the enemy managed to gather forces to repel the attack.

Viking Travel Map

The Europeans were completely unprepared for an attack from the sea. Small detachments of well-armed, strong warriors that appeared out of nowhere caused panic not only among the inhabitants of the English islands, but also among the inhabitants of the continent.

"A furore Normannorum libera nos, Domine!"

Frequent and always brutal Viking raids became a real disaster for Christians in the 6th-10th centuries. There was even a special petition in the prayers: “Save us, Lord, from the rage of the Normans!”

Indeed, essentially pirates, driven from their native lands by hunger and poverty, the Vikings could only rely on what they could get with the sword. The craft, which was initially condemned even in Scandinavia, gradually gained respect, supported by the cult of the military gods Thor, Odin and others.

Over time, the Viking troops included not only residents of Scandinavia, but also Danes, Baltic people, and Slavs.

The word “Viking” itself means “dweller of the bay”. Viking is not a nationality, but a certain social status. These are homeless bandits who robbed everything and everyone, even their closest neighbors. But under the influence of inexorable time, this trouble also went away.

Gradually, the Vikings, having satisfied and lost their initial cruelty, took up trade and politics. They made a number of geographical discoveries (Iceland, Greenland, America).

Video

This video contains interesting and additional information on the topic “Vikings: who are they and where are they from?”

Movies and fiction formed the image of the Vikings, whom people imagine as savages in skins, leather armor, helmets with horns on it. But all this is the imagination of directors and writers; in fact, the Vikings did not wear such headdresses, they were free farmers, they carried out conquests of neighboring territories, and built wooden longships.

The Vikings lived on the Scandinavian Peninsula, and already at the end of the 8th century. began to attack neighboring England and France. Residents of other parts of Europe, who first encountered the Danes and Norwegians, called them Normans, that is, northern people; ascemanns or ash people; madhus - pagan monsters. In Kievan Rus, the Vikings were called Varangians, in Ireland two names for the inhabitants of Scandinavia were common - Finngalls (light aliens) and Dubgalls (dark aliens), in Byzantium - Varangs.

The term "Viking": versions

There is no clear opinion among linguists and historians as to why the Vikings were called by this particular word. According to one version, the verb wiking in Scandinavia meant “to go to sea to gain wealth and fame.”

According to another version, the term appeared thanks to the province (region) of Vik, which is located in Norway. It is located near Oslo. In medieval sources, the inhabitants of the area were not called Vikings, but vestfaldingi or vikverjar.

The term Viking could also come from the word vik, which among the Scandinavians meant a bay or bay, and the Vikings were those who hid or lived in the bay. There is also a version that says that Viking could mean wic/vicus, which meant a trading post, a camp fortified on different sides, a city.

According to latest research According to Swedish scientists, the name “Viking” could come from vikja - to turn and deviate. Vikings were, in this context, people who sailed away from home, people who left home, sea warriors and pirates who went on voyages for loot. The term vikja was used to describe a campaign of a predatory nature, so the people who participated in such events were Vikings. In the chronicles of Iceland, this word denoted sailors who were rude, bloodthirsty, unbridled, robbed and attacked other ships.

The first Anglo-Saxon settlements in the British Isles

At the beginning of the 4th century. AD Germanic tribes, represented by the Jutes, Angles and Saxons, and living at the mouth of the Elbe River, began to make their first aggressive campaigns. The objectives of the military campaigns were:

  • Capture of England and its settlement;
  • Settlement in the Western European region;
  • Displacement of the Romans from occupied territories.

Most of all, the Germans caused problems to the Roman garrisons in the British Isles, forcing the latter to defend themselves. In 407, the Romans and fleet are recalled from England to defend Italy. As a result, the settlements of the Saxons, Jutes and Angles began to increase in size and strengthen.

At the end of the 5th century. AD the conquest of Wessex took place. There is a legend that this was done by King Cerdic, who sailed to the islands in a flotilla of five ships. After this, the Angles and Saxons began to quickly move deeper into the British Isles, displacing the Romans and Celts from there. The consequence of this was the gradual conquest of the colony, the process was finally completed by the 6th century. In the occupied territories, the Angles and Saxons created small kingdoms.

The Celts, who adopted Christianity from the Romans, began to move to the mountainous regions of Wales, and then began to move to mainland Europe. For example, one of the Celtic settlements on the continent was called Britain, which gradually turned into Brittany.

England changed the Vikings and their way of life. If at the time of arrival and then for several decades, the Anglo-Saxon tribes lived engaged in robbery and piracy, then they gradually began to move to a more sedentary way of life.

Already at the end of the 8th century. Seafaring was not the main occupation of the Vikings. Its place was taken by agriculture, which was the basis for the development of society of the descendants of the former northern peoples.

Campaigns and conquests

The North Sea coast, which was abandoned by the Jutes, Angles and Saxons in the 6th century, was settled by Danes who came from Halland and Skåne (territories in southwestern Sweden). Two centuries later they formed a kingdom, which in 800 became a large and powerful Danish state. The kingdom included Norway and Sweden. In order to protect against attacks by the Franks, a defensive rampart was built, which was called Danevirke. The country at that time was ruled by King Gottrik, who was in power until 810. After his death, the kingdom ceased to exist, as a result of which the Danes and Norwegians began to engage in predatory campaigns and conquer neighboring territories. This era lasted about three hundred years.

Among the main reasons that contributed to the Viking campaigns of conquest, it is worth noting the following:

  • The Normans had at their disposal a lot of ships that were excellent for sailing the seas and rivers;
  • The Vikings had navigational knowledge that was necessary for voyages on the high seas;
  • The Danes and Norwegians mastered the tactics of surprise attacks on opponents from the sea, as well as moving ships and troops along rivers. The inhabitants of the British Isles and continental Europe did not have such knowledge and skills, so they did not make trips to Scandinavia;
  • The Vikings' opponents were constantly waging internecine wars, which weakened their states politically and economically. All this facilitated conquest and contributed to successful military campaigns against the Angles, Saxons and Franks.

The Viking campaigns began at the end of the 8th century, when the first groups of Norwegians began to penetrate the sea coast of England. The Normans plundered islands and monasteries, bringing rich booty to Scandinavia.

All Viking attacks took place according to a planned and proven pattern. Without any military action from the sea, the Varangian ships approached the shores, then the warriors landed on the coast and began to plunder. Everything happened very quickly, the Vikings left behind fires and dead people. The ships allowed them to leave England, so the people of the British Isles could not pursue them.

The Scandinavians used the same scheme for campaigns in England in the 20s. 9th century In 825 they landed on the Frisian coast and began to rob, kill, and seize new territories. Already in 836, London was captured by the Vikings for the first time. In 845, Hamburg fell to the Danes. The chronology of further Viking campaigns is as follows:

  • Mid 9th century - recapture of London and Canterbury, the German settlement on the Rhine Xanten, after which came the turn of Bonn and Cologne. The Scandinavians did not ignore France, capturing Aachen, Rouen and Paris. The capture of London and Paris happened many times, so the rulers of the kingdoms decided that the only way to save the cities from robbery was through ransom. As a result of one of them, the Vikings simply lifted the siege of Paris and settled in the northeastern regions of France. At the beginning of the 10th century. Charles the Third gave this territory as hereditary possession to a Norwegian named Rolland. The area where the Vikings lived began to be called Normandy;
  • In the 860s. Scotland and East Anglia were conquered, in which they created their own state, Denlo. It included part of Mercia, Essex, East Anglia, and Northumbria. The country was destroyed by the Anglo-Saxons only in the late 870s;
  • In the 10th century campaigns became less frequent as Denmark and Norway began to create their own centralized states with strong rulers. At the beginning of the 11th century. the Danes subjugated Norway;

The Danes, after conquering the Norwegians, again began to attack England. The traces of their conquests were stones on which runes were applied. The first campaigns of the Normans at the end of the 10th century. - early 11th century were unsuccessful, most of the soldiers were destroyed. The situation began to change only in 1016, when the Vikings subjugated England. Only by the beginning of the 1040s. Anglo-Saxon rulers began to launch retaliatory offensives. By the middle of the 11th century. The Vikings were driven out of England for a time. In 1066, England was conquered by the Vikings who lived in Normandy. Their leader, William the Conqueror, organized a crossing across the strait connecting the British Isles and continental Europe. On October 14, 1066, a major battle between the Vikings and the English took place at Hastings. The Normans finally conquered England, which made it possible to stop predatory attacks, begin the development of feudalism on the islands, and gain access to the throne and power in the kingdom.

Conquest of Greenland and Iceland

Hikes were organized in the Mediterranean Sea. The navigational art of the Vikings allowed them to reach Byzantium, which happened in 895. The Normans sailed to the shores of America, Iceland and Greenland.

The first Norwegians landed in the Hebrides in 620. Two hundred years later they settled in the Faroe Islands, Orkney and Shetland. In 820, the Vikings founded their own state in Ireland, which existed near modern Dublin. The Norman Kingdom of Ireland lasted until 1170.

In the early 860s. the Swede Gardar Svafarsson, whose name was preserved in the chronicles, brought his wife’s inheritance from the Hebrides to his native Scandinavia. On the way, his ship drifted to the northern coast of Iceland. There the Swede and his team spent the winter, becoming familiar with the features of this island territory. The Norwegians began actively conquering Iceland in the early 870s, when King Harald the Fairhair came to power. Not everyone liked his rule, so the Norwegians began to explore Iceland. From 20 thousand to 30 thousand inhabitants of the kingdom moved here before 930. In Iceland, the Vikings were mainly engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding and fishing. Household items, seeds, and pets were transported from Scandinavia.

Information about when the Vikings began to conquer Greenland and when they discovered America came from numerous Icelandic sagas of the 13-14th centuries.

According to historical data and documents, in the early 980s. Icelandic resident Eirik fled from home because he was accused of murder. During the voyage, he reached the shores of Greenland, founding the settlement of Brattalid. Information about this island began to reach the Norwegians gradually, who explored the coast of Greenland several times, discovering the Labrador Peninsula. During one of their voyages, the Vikings discovered an area they called Vinland, i.e. Country of Grapes. This name was given to the new territory due to the fact that a lot of wild grapes and maize grew here, and salmon lived in the rivers. Fish was distributed in reservoirs along the 41st latitude, and grapes along the 42nd parallel. Scientists have determined that the city of Boston is now located in this place. But the Vikings were unable to conquer America-Vinland because, having discovered it once, they did not record the exact coordinates of its location. Therefore, they simply could not swim to her again.

But the Vikings explored Greenland very actively. There were almost 300 Scandinavian households here. It was difficult to increase the number of settlements because there was not enough forest. It was brought from Labrador, but voyages to the peninsula were full of dangers due to the rather dry climate. Therefore, building materials were brought from Europe, which was expensive. The ships did not always reach Greenland. By the 14th century Viking settlements on the island ceased to exist. Archaeologists have found the remains of Viking ships, forests from Europe, and burials of nobles, which suggests that the Vikings actively inhabited this territory.

The influence of the Vikings on European history

The Scandinavians also made expeditions to other parts of continental Europe, for example in Eastern Europe. The most famous conquests are the conquest of Kyiv and its surrounding territories, the founding of the Rurik dynasty. In addition, the merits of the Vikings in Europe include:

  • The conquered peoples were taught new shipbuilding traditions;
  • The opening of trade routes previously unknown to Europeans;
  • Contributed to the development of military affairs and wood processing;
  • Contributed to the development of shipping and navigation;
  • Viking navigation was one of the most advanced in the world at that time, so medieval states used the knowledge and achievements of the Vikings in science, technology, and geography;
  • The Vikings founded many cities in Europe.

In addition, almost all royal dynasties in medieval states were founded by people from Scandinavia.

In France they were called Normans, in Rus' - Varangians. Vikings were the name given to the people who lived in what is now Norway, Denmark and Sweden from about 800 to 1100 AD.

Wars and feasts were two of the Vikings' favorite pastimes. Swift sea robbers on ships that bore sonorous names, for example, “Bull of the Ocean”, “Raven of the Wind”, raided the coasts of England, Germany, Northern France, Belgium - and took tribute from the conquered. Their desperate berserker warriors fought like mad, even without armor. Before the battle, the berserkers gnashed their teeth and bit the edges of their shields. The cruel gods of the Vikings, the Aesir, were pleased with warriors who died in battle.

Discoverers of Iceland

But it was these ruthless warriors who discovered the islands of Iceland (on ancient language — « icy land") and Greenland ("green land": then the climate there was warmer than now!). And the Viking leader Leif the Happy in the year 1000, sailing from Greenland, landed in North America, on the island of Newfoundland. The Vikings called the open land Vinland - “rich”. Due to clashes with the Indians and among themselves, the Vikings soon left and forgot America, and lost contact with Greenland.

Viking Age

And their songs about heroes and travelers - sagas and the Icelandic parliament, the Althing - the first people's assembly in Europe, have survived to this day.

The beginning of the Viking Age is considered to be 793. This year there was a famous attack by the Normans on a monastery located on the island of Lindisfarne (north-east of Great Britain). It was then that England, and soon the whole of Europe, learned about the terrible “northern people” and their dragon-headed ships. In 794 they “visited” the nearby island of Wearmus (there was also a monastery there), and in 802-806 they reached the Isles of Man and Iona (west coast of Scotland)

First sack of London

Twenty years later, the Normans gathered a large army for a campaign against England and France. In 825 the Vikings landed in England, and in 836 London was sacked for the first time. In 845, the Danes captured Hamburg, and the city was so devastated that the episcopate located in Hamburg had to be moved to Bremen. In 851, 350 ships again appeared off the coast of England, this time London and Canterbury were captured (and of course plundered).

Creation of the Norman State of Dunloe

In 866, a storm carried several ships to the shores of Scotland, where the Normans had to spend the winter. The following year, 867, the new state of Danelaw was formed. It included Northumbria, East Anglia, part of Essex and Mercia. Danlo existed until 878. At the same time, a large fleet attacked England again, London was captured again, and then the Normans moved on to France. In 885, Rouen was captured, and Paris was under siege (in 845, 857 and 861, Paris was already sacked). Having received the ransom, the Vikings lifted the siege and retreated to the northwestern part of France, which in 911 was transferred to the Norwegian Rollon. The region was named Normandy.

Conquest of England in the 10th century

At the beginning of the 10th century, the Danes again tried to capture England, which they succeeded only in 1016. The Anglo-Saxons managed to overthrow their power only forty years later, in 1050. But they did not have time to enjoy freedom. In 1066, a huge fleet under the command of William the Conqueror, a native of Normandy, attacked England. After the Battle of Hastings, the Normans reigned in England.

Division between Norwegians and Icelanders

In 861, the Scandinavians learned about Iceland from the Swede Gardar Svafarsson. Soon after, in 872, the unification of Norway by Harald Fairhair began, and many Norwegians fled to Iceland. According to some estimates, between 20,000 and 30,000 Norwegians moved to Iceland before 930. Later they began to call themselves Icelanders, thus distinguishing themselves from the Norwegians and other Scandinavian peoples.

Eirik Raud (Red) founder of the Brattalid settlement

In 983, a man named Eirik Raud (Red) was exiled from Iceland for three years for murder. He went in search of a country rumored to have been seen to the west of Iceland. He managed to find this country, which he named Greenland (“Green Country”), which sounds rather strange in relation to this snowy and cold island. In Greenland, Eirik founded the settlement of Brattalid.

Vinland Leif Eiriksson son of Red discovered Boston

In 986, a certain Bjarni Bardsson sailed from Iceland, intending to get to Greenland. He stumbled upon unknown land three times until he reached south coast Greenland. Having learned about this, Leif Eiriksson, son of Eirik Raud, repeated Bjarni's journey, reaching the Labrador Peninsula. Then he turned south and, walking along the coast, found an area he called “Vinland” (“Grape Country”). Presumably this happened in the year 1000. According to the results of work carried out by scientists, Leif Eiriksson's Vinland was located in the area of ​​​​modern Boston.

Leif's brothers: Torvald and Thorstein

After Leif's return, Thorvald Eiriksson, his brother, went to Vinland. He lived there for two years, but in one of the skirmishes with local Indians he was mortally wounded, and his comrades had to return to their homeland.

Leif's second brother, Thorstein Eiriksson, also tried to reach Vinland, but he was unable to find this land.

There were only about 300 estates in Greenland. The lack of forest created great difficulties for life. The forest grew in Labrador, which was closer than in Iceland, but everything needed had to be brought from Europe due to the very difficult conditions of navigation to Labrador. Settlements existed in Greenland until the 14th century.

Viking History

VIKINGS - (Normans), sea robbers, immigrants from Scandinavia, who committed in the 9th–11th centuries. hikes up to 8,000 km long, perhaps even longer distances. These daring and fearless people reached the borders of Persia in the east, and the New World in the west.

Origin of the word Viking

The word “Viking” goes back to the Old Norse “vikingr”. There are a number of hypotheses regarding its origin, the most convincing of which traces it to “vik” - fiord, bay. The word “Viking” (literally “man from the fjord”) was used to refer to robbers who operated in coastal waters, hiding in secluded bays and bays.

They were known in Scandinavia long before they became infamous in Europe. The French called the Vikings Normans or various options this word (Norsmanns, Northmanns - literally “people from the north”); The British indiscriminately called all Scandinavians Danes, and the Slavs, Greeks, Khazars, and Arabs called the Swedish Vikings Rus or Varangians.

Danish Vikings

Wherever the Vikings went - to the British Isles, France, Spain, Italy or North Africa, - they mercilessly robbed and seized other people's lands. In some cases, they settled in conquered countries and became their rulers. Danish Vikings conquered England for some time and settled in Scotland and Ireland.

Norwegian and Swedish Vikings

Together they conquered a part of France known as Normandy. The Norwegian Vikings and their descendants created colonies on the North Atlantic islands of Iceland and Greenland and founded a settlement on the coast of Newfoundland in North America, which, however, did not last long. Swedish Vikings began to rule in the eastern Baltic. They spread widely throughout Rus' and, going down the rivers to the Black and Caspian Seas, even threatened Constantinople and some regions of Persia. The Vikings were the last Germanic barbarian conquerors and the first European pioneer seafarers.

Activity in the 9th century

There are different interpretations reasons for the violent outbreak of Viking activity in the 9th century. There is evidence that Scandinavia was overpopulated and many Scandinavians went abroad to seek their fortune. The rich but undefended cities and monasteries of their southern and western neighbors were easy prey. It was unlikely that there would be any resistance from the scattered kingdoms of the British Isles or the weakened empire of Charlemagne, consumed by dynastic strife.

In winter, robbery in summer by landowners

During the Viking Age, national monarchies gradually consolidated in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Ambitious leaders and powerful clans fought for power. Defeated leaders and their supporters, as well as the younger sons of victorious leaders, unabashedly embraced unfettered plunder as a way of life. Energetic young men from influential families usually gained prestige through participation in one or more campaigns.

Many Scandinavians engaged in robbery in the summer and then turned into ordinary landowners. However, the Vikings were not only attracted by the temptation of prey.

The prospect of establishing trade opened the way to wealth and power. In particular, immigrants from Sweden controlled trade routes in Rus'.

Viking translation - man from the bay

The English term “Viking” comes from the Old Norse word vkingr, which could have several meanings. The most acceptable, apparently, origin is from the word vk - bay, or bay. Therefore, the word vkingr translates as “man from the bay.”

The term was used to describe the marauders who took refuge in coastal waters long before the Vikings became notorious in the outside world. However, not all Scandinavians were sea robbers, and the terms “Viking” and “Scandinavian” cannot be considered synonymous. The French usually called the Vikings Normans, and the British indiscriminately classified all Scandinavians as Danes. The Slavs, Khazars, Arabs and Greeks who communicated with the Swedish Vikings called them Rus or Varangians.

Definitions from encyclopedias

VIKINGS (Old Scandinavians), Scandinavians - participants in maritime trade, predatory and conquest campaigns at the end of the 8th - mid-11th centuries. to European countries. In Rus' they were called Varangians, and in Western Europe - Normans (Scand. Northman - “northern man”). In the 9th century captured Northeast England in the 10th century. - Northern France (Normandy). Reached North America.

Encyclopedia of Cyril and Methodius

About three centuries from 800 to 1050 AD. e. Viking warriors sailed their ships, terrorizing Europe. They sailed from Scandinavia in search of silver, slaves and lands. The Vikings mainly attacked Britain and France while they were invading Russia. The Vikings explored many unknown lands while sailing the vast Atlantic Ocean.